


The City Breathes

by theonetryingtolive



Series: Cope (Smothered in Smoke) [1]
Category: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Genre: Cliff Booth can't help himself, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Protective Cliff Booth, Sometimes Overprotective Cliff Booth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:21:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29430207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonetryingtolive/pseuds/theonetryingtolive
Summary: You’d make it home in one piece and perhaps Cliff would be home when you woke up the next day. And if not, you and Brandy would treat yourselves to some takeaway as you waited for him to come home.
Relationships: Cliff Booth/Reader
Series: Cope (Smothered in Smoke) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2161860
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	The City Breathes

“Cliff?” Your voice on the phone sounded small, pained. Cliff immediately grabbed the phone from the nightstand and walked with it out of the room, leaving Rick to his own devices. 

“What’s the matter, doll?” He asked. “Are you hurt? In trouble? Someone givin’ you trouble? I knew I shouldn’t have gone, doll, I’m so sorry. I’m gonna-” Your sniffle stopped his rambling. If he listened closely, he could hear the noise of the city in the background. “Doll, where are you?”

“I’m not sure,” you replied, sniffling even more as you tried not to cry. “I think I’m sick. I felt dizzy and I didn’t know what to do so I found a phone booth. I think I’m somewhere near the Chinese Theatre.”

Cliff’s hold on the receiver tightened as he tried to think of what to do. “What else you feelin’, sweetheart?”

“Like it’s all spinning, like my head’s not on right. What if I pass out? I don’t know...”

“Don’t be scared, doll. You need to breathe, take deep breaths. Do you think you can hail a cab?” He asked in a more soothing and relaxed tone than before.

You whined involuntarily. “I don’t have cash on me.”

“Open your purse,” he said softly. “The little zipper at the back, okay? I always make sure you have some money there for emergencies. You found it?”

Your eyes widened when you saw that indeed there were a few bills there. More than just a few bucks, too. “Y-Yeah.”

“Good. Hail a cab, go home, sweetheart. I’m coming back tomorrow, we’re done filming here. I want you to lay down, don’t worry none. Brandy’ll keep you company until I’m home. I left the tin on the kitchen table, darling. Order whatever you want, doll. I gotta feeling I know what’s wrong. It’s your blood sugar, I think. You saw the doc today?”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little at the mention of the tin. Once you became a permanent fixture in Cliff’s life he found it. It was nothing fancy, just an empty cookie tin. But in it Cliff dutifully deposited a few bills every week. He’d said it was easier than keeping the money at the bank and the contents of the tin were for you and you alone. An insurance of sorts (his words) in case you ever needed it. It was a quirky way of looking after you, but then Cliff had always been a quirky man, even if he tried to hide it. Cliff took good care of you, even if you were not married yet he insisted on it, and this was just another way of him showing you love.

“Doll?”

You rubbed your eyes. “Y-Yeah, I saw the doctor. He’ll have my test results by the end of the week. I’m sorry I called, I-”

“Hey,” his voice was soft, loving. “Don’t apologize. You’re not bothering me, you never bother me. Go home, baby. I’ll be there soon, before you know it.”

“Alright,” you said, taking a deep breath. “Thank you, Cliff.”

You could practically hear his smile through the phone. “I love you, sweetheart. I’ll be home soon.”

“I love you, too.” You took a deep breath. 

In and out. In and out. You’d make it home in one piece and perhaps Cliff would be home when you woke up the next day. And if not, you and Brandy would treat yourselves to some takeaway as you waited for him to come home. 

You hung up the phone, took another deep breath and hailed a cab. The city didn’t seem as threatening as it had before.


End file.
